A place of childrens' stories, funny blogs, unasked-for advice, stuff I've learned that might save you time and trouble, the perfect marriage (?), and other interesting stuff.

No Wrong Way to Do a Right Thing

The following was a post I wrote a few years back. The message still stands.

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I was driving past a church one day, and the sign outside read, “There is no right way to do a wrong thing.” This got me thinking; that’s true—no amount of justification can make a bad thing good. So isn’t the converse true as well; that there is also no wrong way to do a right thing?

Think about it. Even if we do a good thing clumsily, it’s still a good thing.

When someone does something nice for you, be gracious and thank them––and ACCEPT it. A gift received is a gift to the giver. We may think that we are not worthy to receive it, but that giver thinks we are worthy.

I used to confuse an offer of kindness with a smile and a comment like, ‘oh, thank you so much for offering to pay for my lunch, but you don’t need to.” And there I would be, sitting there with exactly enough change to cover my tuna sandwich and a glass of water and a meager tip—-but by gosh I wasn’t going to let them pay for my lunch!

That’s just pride talking—trust me, I know pride. I used to have way too much of it, which made me blind to the fact that someone liked me and wanted do something nice for me.

That’s so sad and so unnecessary. This is another example of the Universe, the Divine, God, Spirit, the angels (pick whatever deity you choose) trying to give you something “just because.” Don’t take that joy from the giver; just accept the gift graciously and allow yourself to be glad about it. Accept that you ARE worthy of it.

When I am lucky enough to be able to do something for someone, it makes me happy to see them happy. Often we confuse this with the idea that the giver now thinks that they are somehow ‘better’ than us by doing this; a one-up, if you will. I have been a receiver and a giver, and in my opinion, both are great and equally satisfying. But being a giver now and then, able to give someone something with your whole heart, expecting nothing back; is absolutely wonderful.

Try to keep this mind the next time someone offers you a kindness. And while you’re thinking on that, please remember that I am also doing my best to do the same. Hopefully we will all come to realize that there truly is no wrong way to do a right thing.